Pickings is a 2018 independent neo-noir crime film written, produced, and directed by Usher Morgan. The film stars Elyse Price, Joel Bernard, Katie Vincent, Joe Trombino, Emil Ferzola, Yaron Urbas and Taso Mikroulis. Price plays Jo Lee-Haywood, a mysterious bar owner defending her family and business from the wrath of a short-tempered mobster and his protection racket. The film was released to theaters in the United States on March 2, 2018.

Production:

Pickings is Usher Morgan’s first feature film. Morgan wrote the script and served as the film’s director, producer and chief editor. The film was shot for a total of 35 days over the course of a year. The production of the film was announced during a press event at the 2015 Manhattan Film Festival and a pitch trailer was subsequently released on August 7, 2015 in a press release by Digital Magic Entertainment. Morgan partnered with his Prego cinematographer Louis Obioha, and re-hired Katie Vincent to play the role of Scarlet. As production evolved, Vincent’s role in the film became more substantial and she joined the project as a producer. Vincent also wrote and performed many of the film’s original songs and served as the film’s music supervisor. Morgan also hired Prego actor Taso Mikroulis to play the role of Marvin. The film was fully financed by Morgan, after an Indiegogo campaign failed to reach its desired goal. “I used my own money to fund this film. Took loans, sold assets and maxed out credit cards,” Morgan said in an interview with the Huffington Post in 2018..INFO Source.